Cat Sitting Jobs in Chicago

Your cat sitting side gig in Chicago

Cat sitting in Chicago fits neatly around study or another job. Cat visits in Chicago run $18 to $28 per 20 to 30 minute visit, and you keep up to 90% of every booking.

Petme is live in Chicago. Get verified and start accepting requests in your neighborhood.

Start cat sittingUp to 90% kept. $22,000 Protection Plan.

Prefer to apply from a laptop? Start your application on the web

Not looking for work? Find a cat sitter in Chicago

$18 to $28
per 20 to 30 minute visit in Chicago
Up to 90%
of every booking kept by the sitter
$22,000
Protection Plan on every booking
4.9 / 5
average sitter rating on Petme
A local edge

Local know-how pays off in Chicago

December through March brings sub-zero wind chills, lake-effect snow, and heavy road salt along the Lakefront Trail. Chicago sitters rinse salt off paws between blocks, keep walks short during a polar vortex, and switch to indoor enrichment when the wind chill turns dangerous.

When demand peaks

Boarding peaks over the winter-holiday travel window and the June-to-August vacation stretch; daily lunchtime walks run steady year-round for downtown and North Side commuters. Lollapalooza weekend and the October marathon lift short-notice demand.

Know your Chicago areas

Most cat bookings cluster Lincoln Park to Hyde Park. Owners book the sitter who can reach them quickly for a daily visit, so the areas you list matter more than the distance you are willing to travel.

Rates in Chicago

Choose your services, set your own rates

Typical Petme rates in Chicago. You set your own price for each service, and keep up to 90% of every booking.

Drop-in cat visits

$18 to $28 per 20 to 30 minute visit

House sitting

$45 to $80 per night

Where demand is strongest

Chicago areas that book the most

Petme cat bookings in Chicago come from neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Lakeview, with drop-in visits and house sitting the most requested for cats.

Illinois requires no state pet-sitter licence. Chicago enforces a citywide leash-and-waste ordinance, and the Park District restricts off-leash play to permitted Dog Friendly Areas that need an annual tag. Pet-sitting income is self-employment income on a federal Schedule C, with a 1099-NEC from Petme once your annual earnings pass the federal reporting threshold plus the flat Illinois state income tax.

Lincoln ParkWicker ParkLakeviewLogan SquareWest LoopBucktownAndersonvilleHyde ParkRiver NorthPilsenRoscoe VillageEdgewater
Why Petme

Built for sitters in Chicago

Keep up to 90%

You set your rate. Petme keeps a low service fee, and you keep up to 90% of every booking.

Full schedule control

No assigned shifts and no minimum hours. Accept or decline each request and pause your profile whenever you need to.

Protected on every booking

$22,000 in Protection Plan comes with every confirmed booking, so you are never on the hook alone if something goes wrong.

Common questions

Cat Sitting Jobs in Chicago

What new sitters ask before signing up on Petme in Chicago.

Where are the cat sitting jobs near me in Chicago?
The jobs come to you rather than the other way round. List the Chicago areas you can cover, and owners inside them send requests you are free to turn down.
Can I take dog walking jobs too, or only cat sitting, in Chicago?
Both, if you want them. Your Chicago profile lists every service you offer with its own price, and owners request the one they need rather than a bundle.
How much do cat sitters earn per visit in Chicago?
Drop-in cat visits on Petme in Chicago run $18 to $28 per 20 to 30 minute visit. You set your own rate per visit, and you keep up to 90% of every booking.
Are cat sitting jobs hiring near me in Chicago?
Yes. Petme recruits sitters across Chicago year-round, from Lincoln Park to Wicker Park, and owners send booking requests directly to sitters in their area. There is no vacancy list to wait on: you create a profile, set the areas you cover, and accept the requests you want.
Can I do cat sitting jobs in Chicago at 16 or 17?
No. Petme sitters must be 18 or over, so under-18s cannot take bookings yet. From 18 you need a smartphone with the Petme app, to pass ID verification, and a profile that describes the pets you have cared for, including your own.
Is cat sitting a good part time job in Chicago?
It fits part-time schedules well because you are self-employed: no assigned shifts, no minimum hours, and you set your own rate. Many Chicago sitters take a few bookings a week around a job or studies and scale up or down as their calendar allows.
Where is cat sitting demand strongest in Chicago?
Petme cat bookings in Chicago come from neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Lakeview, with drop-in visits and house sitting the most requested for cats. Most cat owners book a sitter within their own neighborhood, so listing the areas you cover sharpens your visibility.
What does a typical cat sitting visit involve?
A standard drop-in runs 20 to 30 minutes: feeding, fresh water, litter scooping, playtime, and a photo update to the owner in chat. Many Chicago owners book one or two visits a day while they travel.
Can I set my own visit schedule in Chicago?
Yes. You set your available hours and accept or decline each request. Morning and evening visit slots fill first, and you can stack several nearby visits around Lincoln Park and Wicker Park into one efficient round.
What protection do I get on cat sitting bookings?
Every confirmed Petme booking, including drop-in visits, includes $22,000 in Protection Plan for the cat in your care, at no cost to you or the owner. The same cover applies whether you sit in Lincoln Park or Wicker Park.
When is cat sitting demand highest in Chicago?
Boarding peaks over the winter-holiday travel window and the June-to-August vacation stretch; daily lunchtime walks run steady year-round for downtown and North Side commuters. That pattern shapes cat sitting bookings in Chicago across the year. December through March brings sub-zero wind chills, lake-effect snow, and heavy road salt along the Lakefront Trail.
What do I need to start cat sitting in Chicago?
You need to be 18 or over, have a smartphone with the Petme app, and pass ID verification. Owners choose on reviews, availability and a complete profile, so it is worth describing the pets you have looked after, including your own, and naming the Chicago areas you cover.
Is there flexible work in Chicago I can fit around another job?
Yes. Petme sitters in Chicago are self-employed, with no assigned shifts and no minimum hours, so you can take cat sitting bookings alongside other work. You pick the areas you cover and the rate you charge, and you accept only what fits.
Nearby cities

Cat sitting jobs near Chicago

Cover more than one patch. Each city page has its own local rates and demand notes.

CiceroOak ParkBerwynEvanstonSkokieOak Lawn
New to pet care? Start here
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Get started

Start earning in Chicago

Set your own rate. $22,000 Protection Plan on every booking, cashback that keeps your clients rebooking, and fast payouts to your bank.

Start cat sitting

Prefer to apply from a laptop? Start your application on the web

Pet sitters in Chicago for owners

See the owner side of the marketplace you would join: local sitter profiles, 0% owner fee, $22,000 Protection Plan on every booking.

Pet sitting jobs in Chicago

Board, host daycare, and do drop-ins too. Set your own rates and keep up to 90%.

Dog walking jobs in Chicago

Get paid to walk dogs. Set your own routes and hours, keep up to 90% of every walk.

Doggy daycare jobs in Chicago

Host dogs during the day. Set your own headcount, hours and rate, and keep up to 90%.

Become a pet sitter in the US

The full US guide to getting started on Petme. Keep up to 90%.

Dog grooming jobs in Chicago

Groom professionally? Approved sitters with 6+ months of paid grooming can add it and post their work where owners nearby see it.